The Crew Dragon spacecraft might land in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.
New Delhi: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, July 15. Giving an update on the Axiom-4 mission, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that undocking will take place on July 14 at 4.30 pm and it is possible that Shubhanshu Shukla will land on Earth around 3 pm on July 15.
This brings to mind a few questions about how will Shubhanshu Shukla return to Earth, through which vehicle, at what speed, and how will the landing take place? Here, we will answer these questions.
What is the process of Shubhanshu Shukla’s return to Earth?
The Crew Dragon spacecraft will slowly separate from the International Space Station (ISS). This process is called undocking and is completely automated but the crew monitors it.
As soon as it separates, the capsule will move slowly towards the Earth. Then rockets will fire to slow down the capsule. This is called retrograde burn. This is done so that the spacecraft can enter the Earth’s gravity.
What will happen during entering Earth’s atmosphere?
The capsule will enter the Earth’s atmosphere where it will endure intense heat and friction. At this time the speed of the capsule would be about 28,000 kilometers per hour, which gradually decreases as it descends. After entering the atmosphere, first the small and then the main parachutes will open, slowing down the spacecraft and ensuring a safe landing. According to NASA, if the weather is fine, they will land in the sea near the California coast. NASA will broadcast it live.
Where will the spacecraft land?
The Crew Dragon spacecraft might land in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX’s recovery team will immediately reach the spot and lift the capsule onto the ship and take out the crew members. They are bringing equipment weighing 580 pounds i.e. about 263 kg in the Dragon spacecraft. It will contain NASA’s hardware and data from more than 60 science experiments conducted in space.
How much time will it take?
It will take about 12–16 hours from undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) to splashdown. At the time of re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, the speed will be 28,000 kilometers per hour, which will decrease to about 25.7495 km/h.
